Winter access
The falls can be seen from the road year-round, but snow can cover the lower path and make it hazardous in winter. The bridge is narrow and busy, so watch for traffic when viewing or crossing it.
Overview
About Christine Falls
Why stop
- A stone-faced historic bridge sits directly above the lower cascade.
Heads up
- Small roadside pullouts can fill up during busy periods.
Map
Where it is
Loading the Mount Rainier map
Full mapPlan your stop
Before you go
Winter access
7 active Mount Rainier alerts
- ClosureWildfire closures in the northern parkGrand Park 2 and Wonderland Complex fire closures affect trails, backcountry camps, and Sunrise access; stay out of closed areas.Official details
- ClosureSR 165 bridge closed: no public access to Carbon River or Mowich LakeThe SR 165 Carbon River/Fairfax Bridge is closed to vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians; there is no public access or alternate route to Carbon River or Mowich Lake.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Mount Rainier Tour Guide
Your drive to Christine Falls, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Mount Rainier National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Mount Rainier audio tourRecorded for this place
Christine Falls and Its Stone-Faced Bridge0:00 / 0:23
“You're nearing Christine Falls, where a stone-faced bridge frames the lower cascade. For that view, take the short paved path down from the roadside pullouts; from the road, you can see the upper water.”
Plays as you drive up to Christine Falls in the Parkwolf Mount Rainier Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Comet Falls: A Steep Waterfall Hike
- Trillium's Tiny Seed Carriers
- Ricksecker Point: The Old Road to Paradise
- Glacier Bridge: Above the Floods
- 77 audio storiesacross Mount Rainier’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Mountain Goat, Black Bear, Wolverine, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 99 trails, 87 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
More about Christine Falls
Christine FallsChristine Falls is a roadside waterfall on Van Trump Creek, dropping through a narrow canyon…
Christine Falls is a roadside waterfall on Van Trump Creek, dropping through a narrow canyon beneath a stone-arch road bridge. The bridge frames the lower cascade, making this a memorable short stop on the Paradise road.
A quick stopSmall pullouts sit on both sides of the bridge.
Small pullouts sit on both sides of the bridge. From the road you can see the upper water; a short paved path descends to an overlook below the bridge for a closer look at the lower fall. Parking is limited, especially when the road is busy.
The 1928 bridgeThe present bridge is a reinforced-concrete span faced with native stone, completed in 1928.
The present bridge is a reinforced-concrete span faced with native stone, completed in 1928. It replaced earlier crossings: a wooden bridge stood downstream in 1907, then a new bridge was built here in 1915 as the road moved. The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991 and is part of the park's historic landmark district.
Van Trump CreekThe creek runs through a narrow canyon between Rampart Ridge and Cushman Crest before reaching…
The creek runs through a narrow canyon between Rampart Ridge and Cushman Crest before reaching the Nisqually River. The falls are the most visible part of a landscape shaped around both the water and the road crossing.
Christine Van TrumpThe falls are named for Christine Van Trump, daughter of early Rainier climber P. B. Van Trump.
The falls are named for Christine Van Trump, daughter of early Rainier climber P. B. Van Trump. Her name connects this roadside stop to the park's early climbing history.
The bridge-framed viewFor the classic view, take the short path to the overlook beneath the arch, where the bridge…
For the classic view, take the short path to the overlook beneath the arch, where the bridge frames the lower cascade. The upper tier is easier to see from the road, so the two viewpoints show different parts of the falls.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Mount Rainier
466 sightingsMountain GoatMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
383 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
10 sightingsWolverineMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
58 sightingsElkMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
574 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
1,853 sightingsHoary MarmotMost seen around 6 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Mount Rainier. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
